Bio

John Cook trained as a Chartered Accountant and graduate of the London Business School. He joined P&O in 1971 and rose through the Bulk Shipping Division where he was the Finance Director to become the Deputy Managing Director of the Deep Sea Cargo Division, which owned a fleet of VLCC’s, product, parcel, LPG and LNG tankers, bulk and combination carriers, reefers and container ships. He was on the board of a number of major international pooling and joint venture companies, responsible for devising and maintaining their structures. In 1986 he joined Hambros Bank Ltd, where he was a director in its Shipping Division until his resignation in June 1998. Apart from providing first mortgage lending for new and second-hand ships and specialist assistance to the Bank’s Lease and Structured Finance Department and Corporate Finance Division, he has also advised a number of international clients on refinancing, structure, strategy and development.